Registering your hives, by state

In every Australian state and territory, keeping honey bees means registering with the government, even if you only have one hive. Registration is usually cheap or free, and it is one of the first things to sort out before bees arrive. Read Getting bees alongside this page.

Rules, fees and renewal periods differ between jurisdictions, and they change. The figures below are as at October 2026. Always confirm them on the official page for your state.

How to register

1. Find your state’s official page in the table below. Registration is with the government, not a third party.
2. Check the Code of Practice. In several jurisdictions, including NSW and Tasmania, following the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice is a condition of registration.
3. Count your hives. You are asked to give an accurate count when you register.
4. Apply and pay any fee, usually online. Where the table says “Check the official page”, no figure could be confirmed from two independent sources.
5. Mark every hive with your brand, registration number or hive code, as your state requires (see the table).
6. Diary the renewal date from the “Term” column.
7. Update the department if your state requires it. In Victoria, tell the department in writing within 7 days if you sell, give away or dispose of hives; in Tasmania, update your details if hive locations or numbers change significantly.

Every jurisdiction expects you to register from your first hive. NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia all say plainly that one hive is enough.

Why registration matters

Registration is a biosecurity tool, not just paperwork. The Code of Practice (published on BeeAware) says that up-to-date counts of hives and beekeepers help authorities make decisions about disease control, and that having contact details on hand allows quick notification if a pest or disease incursion occurs. If a notifiable disease or pest turns up near you, the department can contact you quickly and find hives that may need inspection or treatment.

Registration covers European honey bees (Apis mellifera). Native stingless bees do not need registering in Queensland or the Northern Territory, but check your own state’s page.

State and territory summary

State or territory	Who registers you	Cost (as at October 2026)	Term	Hive marking
NSW	NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)	Recreational $60 on paper, or $54 online (concession $40 / $36; business $100 / $90)	2 years	Registration number on each hive
VIC	Agriculture Victoria	Fees waived from 1 October 2025 for 2 years	2 years	Your registered brand on every hive
QLD	Biosecurity Queensland (Department of Primary Industries)	No fee if you don’t claim primary producer status; fee for commercial primary producers	Up to 3 years	Hive identification number (HIN) on at least 1 in 50 hives
SA	PIRSA	Free for 1 to 4 hives; $54 a year for 5 or more	12 months	Hive identification code
WA	DPIRD (Brands Office)	Check the official page	3 years	Hive brand on every hive
TAS	Biosecurity Tasmania	Check the official page	Check the official page	Check the official page
NT	Department of Agriculture and Fisheries	Check the official page	2 years	Hive registration code on all hives
ACT	ACT Government	No fee	Up to 3 years	No brand rule stated

What else to know in each state

New South Wales

Registration is required if you own European honey bees, including a single hive, and your bees must be kept in a frame hive. Concession rates are for recreational beekeepers holding a Pensioner Concession Card or Seniors Card; a 10% discount applies through the online BFS Portal, where you also renew. Your registration number (your hive brand) must be displayed on each hive. Official page: NSW DPIRD beekeeper registration.

Victoria

Anyone who keeps one or more hives must register with Agriculture Victoria. The term runs 2 years from the date registration is granted. You are issued a unique brand, and every hive must carry it. Registration and renewal are online through BeeMAX, and a paper form is also available. Official page: Agriculture Victoria beekeeper registration.

Queensland

You must register as a biosecurity entity with Biosecurity Queensland if you keep one or more European honey bee hives. A fee applies only if you are a commercial primary producer (or claim primary producer status for your bees on your tax return); hobby keepers pay no fee but must still be registered. Registration lasts up to 3 years, after which you confirm (renew) it. One hive identification number (HIN) is issued for all your hives. At least 1 hive in every 50 must be marked with it, but marking all hives is recommended. Put it on the front of the hive, in the centre, in block letters and figures at least 25 mm high, and keep it legible. Official page: Business Queensland hive registration and branding.

South Australia

Anyone who keeps honey bees must register with PIRSA, regardless of hive numbers or hive type. For 5 or more hives the annual fee is $54.00 for 2026-27, and other charges may apply, so check the official page. New beekeepers apply for a hive identification code with their first registration. Official page: PIRSA beekeeper registration.

Western Australia

Anyone keeping honey bees in WA must register with DPIRD, whatever the number or type of hives and whether for hobby or business. A fee applies; check the current amount on the official page. You receive a brand with your certificate of registration and must apply it to every hive within 7 days of taking possession of it. It must be visible, legible and indelible. Official page: DPIRD beekeeper registration and responsibilities.

Tasmania

All beekeepers, commercial or recreational, must be registered with Biosecurity Tasmania. This has been compulsory since the Biosecurity Regulations 2022 took effect on 2 November 2022. Register or renew through the BeeTAS online portal. You must follow the Code of Practice and update your details if your hive locations or numbers change significantly. For cost and term, check the official page: Biosecurity Tasmania beekeeper registration.

Northern Territory

You must register your beehives if you own European honey bees. Native bees do not need registering, although registration is encouraged. Registration gives you a hive registration code (HRC) to display on all your hives so they can be identified if a biosecurity event occurs. Check the cost on the official page: NT Government honey bees and beekeeping.

Australian Capital Territory

You need to register to keep bees in the ACT, under the Biosecurity Regulation 2025, through an online ACT Government form. If you are already registered as a beekeeper in NSW, you do not need a separate ACT registration. Official page: ACT Government bees and beekeeper registration.

Moving hives interstate

Moving bees across a state border usually needs more than registration. Depending on where the bees are coming from and going to, you may need a permit, a health certificate, or both. Varroa mite was first found in New South Wales in 2022 and has since been detected in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and the ACT. Movement rules linked to it have changed several times, sometimes with different pages giving different answers.

Check the destination state’s official page before you move anything. The industry body AHBIC publishes an interstate movement guide (July 2026), and the Pests, diseases and biosecurity section covers varroa.

Rules change, so check the official page

Fees, terms and hive-marking rules are updated by the departments from time to time. Treat this page as a starting point and use the official link for your state before you register or renew. For other things to organise before bees arrive, see What you need to start.